Customer Reviews

Kate Hannigan's Girl: A Novel

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is so very "Cookson". I read at breakneck speed and and feared coming to the end. Catherine Cookson continues to force us to care for her characters and smell the grass under their feet.

In the early twentieth century in the English countryside, Annie Hannigan knows regardless of what happens in her life, she will never forget her impoverish early childhood. Her mother Kate, now married and respectable, was not so when Annie was illegitimately born in the worst of the slums.

Life is materially better due mostly because of Kate's caring spouse. When Terence Macbane begins to court Annie, she feels that life cannot get better. However, in her new Eden lies a snake, her bitterest rival Cathleen Davidson, who will do anything to keep the loving duo apart and seems to be succeeding. Only Annie can save her budding relationship if she is willing to fight for it.

Incredible as it seems, KATE HANNIGAN'S GIRL is the hundredth novel by the late great Catherine Cookson. The story line provides insight into a bygone era, but not as deep or thorourghly as some of the wonderful Ms. Cookson's previous books. Though entertaining to the author's fans and those readers who relish a period piece, anyone new to this great writer should visit the library where bookshelves are dedicated to her fabulous creations for a better taste of Ms. Cookson's early twentieth century novels.

The Catherine Cookson books, all of them, are amazing. Every one captivates me and I cannot stop reading them They make me stay on my Stairmaster way beyond my customary one hour workout. We are so lucky that Cookson wrote over 100 of them. I have read about 20 so far and there are others lined up. I am just going to have to go to the ones I have so that I can start ordering the other ones.
Is there life after Catherine Cookson?

Sequels are usually very vague and boring compared to the first original works and this is by far no exception.

Annie Hannigan, the illegtimate child of Kate Hannigan goes through being made fun of for not have a real "father" and her enemy, so to speak, Cathleen Davidson amongst those who make fun of her out of jealousy.

I have noticed Chaterine Cookson makes a lot of religious references and after a while they get to be very annoying, like nails on a chalk board, she keeps rubbing into the reader about the character's beliefs and their significance. By the end of the book, Annie decides to turn to the church and become a nun and for the rest of the journey it is about her decision being vague, her parents (her mother mostly) suffering over her decision and everyone around her... I did not care for Annie as much as I did in the first book, whenever Catherine described her as a cold girl with her blank stare it just aggitated me, so perhaps if Catherine Cookson's goal was to deliver that type of a message - she has succeeded.

Overall I'd only recommend it if you really want to know what happened to Annie for it talks little about Kate and Rodney in this book, so unless this is your first book, don't read it, you will be disappointed.

In this, her one hundredth published novel, the author takes a nosedive. For the legions of Catherine Cookson fans, it would have been better not to posthumously publish this mediocre novel and let the author rest in peace on her well deserved laurels. Catherine Cookson was a wonderful storyteller, but this book falls a bit short of her previous high marks.

Set in early twentieth century England, this is the story of Annie Hannigan, a girl who, through her mother's marriage to a wealthy country doctor, went from rags to riches. A flaxen haired, blue eyed beauty, Annie has her share of heartache when the boy she loves, Terence MacBane, seems elusive and out of reach. Her heartbreak is compounded when a viscious acquiantance, Cathleen Davidson, makes it her business to try and see that Annie and Terence never get together by putting Terence into her predatory crosshairs. Who shall be the victor? I am afraid that you will have to read the book and find out.

The usual themes found in a Catherine Cookson novel are found in this one, as well. Class conflicts, as well as romance and familial ties, abound. Unfortunately, the characters are not particularly well drawn, and the reader will find it difficult to care about what happens to any one of them. It reads more like a work in progress. Unless you already are a Catherine Cookson devotee, you will find it hard to find this book of interest. If you are not a fan, deduct one star from my rating.

As I have been a great fan of Catherine Cookson's for many years, I was not really impressed with this book. Although I did enjoy it, I have liked her other stories much better.

I have every book that Catherine Cookson wrote and love every moment of re-reading them. No one could tell a tale like her. I have purchased the two that Amazon offers on Kindle and how I wish they could offer more. I have requested.
Carol from NC